![\"\"](\"https:\/\/awesome-shockley.77-68-72-77.plesk.page\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Resized-ARAE-image-2-300x225.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA creepy notice linking to a website from mysterious organisation ARAE appeared zip tied to a tree in the middle of Ponderosa park last week.<\/p>\n
It reads: “It is vital that you provide us with your information.”<\/p>\n
Following the link shows a questionnaire which has left Sheffield residents on social media site Reddit puzzled.<\/p>\n
Users on r\/Sheffield and r\/RBI have been trying to solve where the flyer and the contents of the questionnaire have come from, who the organisation are and whether this a heritage project or augmented-reality game (ARG).<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for ARAE said: \u201cThe purpose of the questionnaire is to collect information regarding individuals who believe they recognise the provided image.<\/p>\n
\u201cARAE is a research-focused organisation. Information about ARAE is only disclosed as strictly necessary to meet our objectives.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The start of the quiz lays out a set of rules telling quiz-takers not to \u201cdisclose any information to others\u201d or \u201cdistribute photographic materials provided to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/awesome-shockley.77-68-72-77.plesk.page\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Arae-image-3-300x110.png\")
<\/p>\n
A reddit user thought the first photo which shows figures barely visible in the foreground and background was taken near Eden Pit in Middridge, Durham – an old coal mine in use until the start of the First World War in 1914.<\/p>\n
If the user answers \u2018no\u2019 to the first question the questionnaire will end immediately and thank you for taking part.<\/p>\n
The quiz is filled with multiple choice questions and asks the user about their feelings towards immigrants, Rome and whether they or anyone they knew have had the bubonic plague.<\/p>\n
One r\/Sheffield member said: \u201cThat was creepy\u2026 strange racial\/religious angle. It is intriguing though.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another said: \u201cIt\u2019s a bit of creepy, ARG-ish meta fiction. Quite enjoyable I thought, gave me a gentle chill down the spine.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are also questions on whether those taking part have memories of past lives and some taking the quiz have theorised this is the motivation behind the exercise.<\/p>\n
One user likened the situation to the ‘How to tell if you are dreaming’ flyers found around Sheffield last year.<\/p>\n
Some users believe the organisation’s name refers to the Arae from Greek mythology – spirits of curses, often ones placed by the dead upon those guilty of their death.<\/p>\n
The questionnaire ended by saying “if we require further information, we will contact you.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A creepy notice linking to a website from mysterious organisation ARAE appeared zip tied to a tree in the middle of Ponderosa park last week. It reads: “It is vital that you provide us with your information.” Following the link shows a questionnaire which has left Sheffield residents on social media site Reddit puzzled. Users […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":33633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[505,506,507,508,9],"class_list":["post-33461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-arg","tag-mystery","tag-ponderosa","tag-questionnaire","tag-sheffield"],"yoast_head":"\n